Lacing closure



.hm 1s, 1944. l.. Rose- MN- LAoING cLoSURE Filed Aug. 22, 1942 Z INVENTOR Patented Jan. 18, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT'OFFICE 9 Claims.

This invention relates in general to laced connections between two edge portions of one or more pieces of material such as fabric or leather, and more particularly the invention contemplates improvements in lacing closures for use in corsets, surgical belts, brassires, `garters, shoes and the like.

Heretofore lacing devices generally have included metal eyelets extending transversely through the edge portions of the parts to be connected and the lace has been threaded through the eyelets from side to side. With this arrangement both sides of said parts are overlaid by the lace which is exposed and unsightly. When used in a corset or a girdle, the lace projecting from the inside of thel garment causes discomfort to the wearer, and the portions of the lace on the outside of the garment may show through a dress of thin fabric.

Also, the eyelets and manner of threading the lace therethrough cause excessive friction between the eyelets and the lace which makes difcult tightening and loosening of the lace. Furthermore, due to the present restrictions upon the use of metals, it is practically impossible to obtain metal eyelets.

Therefore, a prime object of my inventionis to provide in a lacing device, a novel and improved substitute for such eyelets which can be concealed within the edges and between opposite sides of the two parte to be connected so that the lace normally shall be in a plane intermediate said opposite sides of said parts, whereby the lace shall not cause unsightly or uncomfortable protuberances on the faces of said parts; edgewise abutment of the edges of said parts shall be ensured and overlapping thereof prevented, and the lace shall be invisible when said edges are pulled together.

Another object is to provide a lacing device which can be formed of fabric or like material such as leather and shall comprise guide loops for the lace secured to the parts to be laced together in a novel and improved manner so that said loops and the means for attaching them to said parts shall be capable of resisting severe strains incident to tightening of the lace, and the lace shall be slidable through said loops in a single plane that is disposed intermediate the planes of the opposite faces of said parts whereby there shall be `a minimum of frictional resistance and strain on said loops during tightening and loosening of the lace.

Further objects are to provide a novel and improved lace guide unit which comprise spaced and parallel body strips' of fabric or the like and a plurality of cross strips disposed transversely of and connected to said bodystrips in spaced relation longitudinally thereof so that the portions of said cross strips between said body strips shall serve as guide loops for a lace; and to provide such aunit wherein said cross strips shall be secured to said body strips in a novel and im- Droved manner so that severe strains or tension may be imposed upon said unit, particularly upon said cross strips without tearing, ripping or other injury to the unit.

Other objects are to pro-vide a unit of the rcharv acter described which can be manufactured rapidly by the yard on automatic machines, and which canlce easily and quickly sewed onthe parts to be laced together so as to be substantially invisible when in use; and toobtain other advantages and results that will be brought out by the following description in conjunction `with the accompanying drawing in which Figure l is a fragmentary plan view of the two edge portions of a garment connected by a lacing deviceembodying my invention.y

Figure 2 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional View on the line,2-2" of Figure 1.v

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view cf the lacing guide unit in the condition in which it is produced for embodiment in a lacing device.

Figure 4 is a similar view showing the unit folded for attachment'to one of two parts to be connectedfor example the edge portion of 'a garment, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view through the lacing guide unit showing another means of applying it to for example the edgeportions of a garment.

For the purpose of illustrating the principles of the invention, I have shown it in a lacing device for connecting two parts A and B such as the edge portions of a corset or girdle, although the invention. may be utilized in many other places where lacings are desirable.

As shown, the lacing guide unit includes two body parts C and D which may be identical and which preferably are formed of strips ,of flexible material such as textile fabric or leather. The body strips C and D are connected by a plurality of cross strips E which extend transversely and are spaced longitudinally of the body strips, each having one endportion secured to each body strip. Preferably these cross strips are formed of flexible material such as fabric or leather, and I have found thattubular woven fabric similar to that of which laces are formed, is highly satisfactory.

It is desirable that the longitudinal marginal portions of each body strip be folded inwardly as indicated at I upon the central longitudinal portion `2 of the strip to form a plurality of plies and to prevent frayed edges, and preferably each cross strip E has one end portion disposed and secured between the central longitudinal portion and one of said folded marginal portions of the corresponding strip so that fraying of the end of the cross strip will be prevented. For so securing the cross strips, a line of stitching 3 extends longitudinally of the body strip and passes through said folded marginal portion, the end portions of the cross strips and the central longitudinal portion 2 of the body strip.

As shown, the cross strips are further secured to the strips C and D by lines of stitches 4 which extend longitudinally of the respective body strips and transversely of the cross strips, and pass through the cross strips, the other folded marginal portion and the rcentral longitudinal portion of the corresponding body strip. Each line of stitches 4 includes a plurality of superposed tying stitches 5 traversing each cross strip.

With this construction, the cross strips are firmly secured to the body strips C and D and the body strips may be arranged in superposed parallel relation to each other by folding the cross strips along the Zones between the body strips as shown in Figure 4, whereupon the folded portions 6 of the cross strips will serve as guide .loops for a lace in a lacing device.

UIt isv desirable that each of the two parts A and B to be connected shall include at least two plies 'l and 8, and one lace guiding unit is secured to each of these parts along a longitudinal marginal portion thereof. A convenient manner of applying the lace guiding unit to the part A or B is to lay the plies 1 and 8 in a common plane with their edge portions in spaced'relation and then lay one of the body`strips C and D of the lacing guide unit on each of said plies so that the adjacent edges ofthe body'strips are approximately iiush withA the edges of the respective plies'l and 8. Thereupon a line of stitches 9 may be lrun longitudinally of each of the plies l and 8 so that the stitches pass through said plies and through the corresponding body strip C or D and the cross strips E. One or both of the plies 'l and 8 may be further secured to the corresponding body strip C or D by another line of stitches l0. Thereupon the two plies 1 and 8 may be folded toward each other about the .zones 6 of the cross strips so as to locate the lace guiding unit between the plies as shown in Figure 2. Then a lace rF may be threaded through the lace guide loops 6 in the usual manner.

In some instances it may be desirable to insert a whale bone or like reenforcement or stay I2 along the marginal portion of each part A and B.

It will be observed that the lace guiding unit may bey folded in two ways. Figures 2 and 4 show one way Where the end portions of the cross strips'E are disposed between the body strips C and D, while Figure 5 shows another form-where the end portions of the cross strips are arranged at the outer sides of` the body strips.

With this construction it will be evident that the lace F vwill normally lie in a plane intermediate the planes of the opposite sides of the parts A and B and will be substantially concealed when the parts A and B are drawn together by the lace. Also edgewise abutment of the parts A and B is ensured and overlapping thereof is prevented. The lace may easily slide through the guide loops in a single plane so that there will be a minimum of frictional resistance and strain on said loops during tightening and loosening of the lace. Furthermore, the manner of attachment of the cross strips to the body strips ensures that the lace-guiding unit will be capable of resisting severe strains incident to tightening of the lace, without danger of tearing or ripping of the cross strips from the body strips.

The lace guiding unit can be manufactured rapidly by the yard on automatic machinery and sold to garment manufacturers or other users in the form shown in Figure 3, and the unit can be very easily and quickly sewed on the parts to be laced together as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The invention therefore provides an excellent substitute for the old types of lacing devices that include metallic eyelets and in many respects the lacing device of the invention is superior to the heretofore known lacing structures.

What I claim is:

l. A lacing device including the combination lof two parts to be connected, each comprising a plurality of plies of flexible material, a lace guide disposed on each of said parts comprising a pair of spaced superposed body strips of exible material arranged between two adjacent plies of the corresponding part along a marginal portion thereof, a plurality of cross strips extending transversely and spaced longitudinally of said body strips, means securing each of said cross strips to said body strips, the portions of said cross strips between said body strips forming guide loops for a lace, a line of stitches extending longitudinally along said marginal portion of each of said two adjacent plies of each of said parts and penetrating said ply, the corresponding said body strip and the corresponding ends of said cross pieces, and a lace threaded through said guide loops to connect said parts.

2. A lacing device including the combination of two parts to be connected, each comprising a plurality 'of plies of flexible material, a lace guide disposed on each of said parts comprising a pair of spaced superposed body strips of flexible material arranged between two adjacent plies of the corresponding part along a marginal portion thereof, each of said body strips having one of its longitudinal marginal portions folded inwardly upon its longitudinal central portion, a plurality of cross strips extending transversely and spaced longitudinally of said body strips and each having one end portion secured to each body strip with its extremity between the longitudinal central portion and said folded marginal portion of the corresponding body strip, the portions of saidcross strips between said body strips forming guide loops for a lace, a line of stitches extending longitudinally along said marginal portion of each of said two adjacent plies of each of said parts and penetrating said ply, the corresponding said body strip and the corresponding ends of said cross pieces, and a lace threaded through said guide loops to connect said parts.

3. The lacing device Set forth in claim 1 Wherein said means comprises lines of stitches passing through only said cross strips and said body strips to secure said cross strips to said body strips.

4. The lacing device set forth in claim 2 wherein the other longitudinal marginal portion of each body strip is folded inwardly and the end portions of said cross strips .are secured to said body strips by stitches passing through the cross strips and through the second-mentioned folded marginal portions and said longitudinal central portions of said respective body strips.

e 5. The lacing device set forth in claim 1 wherein said means comprises lines of stitches passing through only said cross strips and said body strips to secure said cross strips to said body strips, the last-mentioned lines of stitches including a plurality of superposed tying stitches passing through each end portion vof each cross strip and through the corresponding body strip.

6. The lacing device set for-th in claim 2 wherein the other longitudinal marginal portion of each body strip is folded inwardly, and end portions of said cross strips are secured t-o said body strips by lines of stitches running longitudinally of said body strips and transversely of said cross strips and including a plurality of superposed tying stitches passing through each end portion of each cross strip and through the second-mentioned folded marginal portion and the central longitudinal portion of the corresponding body strip.

'7. A lace guiding unit for lacing devices, comprising two parallel body strips of fl'exible needlepenetrable material, a plurality of cross strips extending transversely of and spaced longitudinally of said body strips, and lines of stitches extending longitudinally of said body strips and transversely of said cross strips close to the adjacent edges of said body strips and including superposed tying stitches passing through said cross strips and said body strips.

8. A lace guiding unit for lacing devices, comprising two parallel body strips of flexible needlepenetrable material, having their adjacent longitudinal marginal portions folded inwardly upon their respective longitudinal central portions, a plurality of cross strips extending transversely and spaced longitudinally of said body strips, and lines of stitches extending longitudinally of said body strips and transversely 4of said cross strips close to said folds of said body strips and including superposed tying stitches passing through said cross strips and through said folded marginal portion and said longitudinal central portion of the corresponding body strip.

9. The lace guiding unit set forth in claim 8 wherein the other longitudinal marginal portion of each body strip is folded inwardly over the extremities of the cross strips, and with the addition of another line of stitches extending longitudinally of each body strip and penetratingthe extremities of the cross strips and the secondmentioned folded marginal portion and the longitudinal central portion of the corresponding body strip.

LEO ROSEMAN. 

